Company we keep
by Tai-taiAd1
Summary: "'My battle wounds are deep.'"


Title: Company we keep  
  
Author: Meesh  
  
Disclaimer: not mine  
  
A/N: It's not as slashy as my usual stuff...It's a tad different then what I usually write...I dunno. It's weird. I was feeling weird when I wrote it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A night or two after the accident with Logan, Rogue found herself utterly lost. She slid around the hallway, searching for something familiar to hold onto. Bursting and bubbling brand new thoughts in her head, she fought to keep them under control. Then suddenly, turning a corner, a scent caught her. Sweet and smooth. Like peaches. It was so welcoming and comforting and...familiar. Despite the fact that she couldn't actually put the scent to a memory or person in particular. But it was the one non-scary thing that she had, so she followed it.   
  
Creeping into the dark room, the soft fruity smell wafted around her. Rogue waited for her eyes to adjust, when she realized were she was. In Jean's room. And though she herself had never been in this room, she knew it. Because Logan knew it. Looking around, the young girl absorbed the feeling of security that was humming throughout the room. Then she saw her.  
  
Sleeping safely under the covers, moonlight spilling onto her face, Rogue was calm. Taking slow but wide strides towards the bed, she hovered over Jean's sleeping form, aching to reach out. Everything was so quiet here. She needed some quiet. And some part of Rogue believed that reaching out and getting closer to this beautiful woman would make everything even better. But she knew otherwise. So just before her bare fingertips grazed Jean's face, she pulled away. Backing up, Rogue began to feel tired. Slowly she felt her body sinking and she lay herself down...  
  
**  
  
The next morning Rogue woke up in the very plush confines of Jean's bed. Feeling around, no one else was in the bed. Then looking up she saw the older woman at the foot of the bed, dressed and ready for the day.  
  
"Are you going to tell me why you were sleeping on my bedroom floor or should I not even bother?" She cocked an eyebrow to emphasize the fact that she meant business.   
  
Unfortunately, business is not what Rogue needed at that moment. Burying her face in the pillow, inhaling the simple fragrance, she frowned. Having to offer a reasonable explanation was extremely frustrating not only because it was early, but because the voices in her head were grumbling about and prevented her from having any thoughts of her own.   
  
Bringing her head up, Rogue gave a grunt and furrowed her brow, "My battle wounds are deep."   
  
Jean blinked her eyes a couple of times, then slowly understood. Her expression softened as she nodded, "I'll tell the Professor you're not feeling well." And she quietly exited.  
  
**  
  
Later that afternoon, the mysterious teen came strolling right in the middle of the fun and laughter the rest of the group was having in the common room. No one really paying attention to her, she sat far back in a dark corner and watched them joke around. Scott and Jean cuddled closely, Storm sitting in her own recliner and Logan seated at the far end of the couch shared with happy couple. His feet resting haphazardly on the coffee table, beer in one hand. It all looked so comfortable, but the nagging voices inside reminded her of what she had done. Of what she can do. And there's no getting comfortable with that.  
  
The laughter has dimmed and Rogue was sure that everyone was about to leave soon. Getting up, she made her way into the hall and just before she got far enough, Jean called after her.   
  
"Sleeping over tonight...?"  
  
Looking down at her feet and back up again, Rogue pushed some hair out of her face, "No."  
  
The taller woman fiddled with her hands nervously, then gave a smile, "Oh. Okay."  
  
**  
  
Rogue gritted her teeth and rubbed her temple. Once again, the clamor has returned and once again, she has found herself stumbling around, looking for a safe harbour. Turning the corner, the smell draws her in. As she slips into Jean's room, the essence of peach slithers lightly into her system. Her eyes flutter and slowly her mind clears and Rogue feels a lot better. Nearing the same spot she slept at the night before, her ankles get tangled up. Plucking her feet out of the scrambled mass, she realizes it's a sleeping bag. Smiling to herself, Rogue slides between the two layers of soft sleek vinyl and falls asleep.  
  
**  
  
The same pattern repeats itself for a month or two. Rogue will wander around and at some point run into Jean. Jean will ask her if she's sleeping over, and Rogue will always say no. Yet every night, she comes sneeking through the hallways. And every night the sleeping bag would always be there.  
  
But then it stopped because all of a sudden, Bobby was in her life. And though the scent lingering on his skin did nothing to calm the jittery voices in her head, the idea of him finding out about it gave her enough inscentive to hide it.  
  
**  
  
A night or two after Jean's disappearance, Rogue found herself utterly lost. She made her way to the one sanctuary she had left. Walking in, the sound of someone breathing startled her, making her heart skip some. Peering over, moonlight spilling onto the sleeping form, she held her breath. As her eyes adjusted, she exhaled, realizing it was only Scott. Taking a sniff, she notices the scent of peach has been covered up with Scott's cologne and alcohol. It makes her angry. So angry that she picks up the nearest object and throws it across the room. But he still lies there, undisturbed. A snarl escapes her mouth, and she contemplates forcing him to get out...but she doesn't.  
  
Rogue sits on the floor next to the bed and leans against Jean's nightstand. After wiping off a few tears, she closes her eyes and wonders how long the peach scent is going to keep her safe before she has to find some other way to make the voices leave. 


End file.
